We're the Shadows
by HeRmIoNe666rIdDlE
Summary: Abused Hermione returns back to Hogwarts for her 7th year as Head Girl. Draco is the only one who notices something's wrong. Can Draco help Hermione before either she's killed or she just gives up?
1. Chapter 1

_**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter and I do not own the plot of this fanfic. It is an old one by an author going by the name of MysteryM who hasn't logged in for over a year. With such a fantastic unfinished plot, I decided to finish it, making a few changes along the way. MysteryM- you're amazing. **_

_**If anyone wants to read the original work follow this link: .net/s/6372778/1/Shadows_on_the_Wall. **_

**Return to Hogwarts**

Hermione shut her eyes, letting the tears roll down her cheeks as her fingers gently caressed the bruise on her hip. She let out a low hiss of pain and her eyes snapped open. She backed away from the mirror and walked into her room. There was a cot in the corner of the room and a smile graced her face as she saw a small form curled up in it. She approached and peered in.

A baby girl of one was asleep, her soft black hair falling into her eyes. As Hermione watched, the baby moved and woke. She saw her and let out a giggle, reaching up for her.

Hermione smiled and scooped the child out of the crib, hugging her as tight as her bruises would allow. "Hello Nettle." She cooed.

Nettle threw her small arms around Hermione, a smile on her pretty face and her chocolate eyes shining.

Hermione spun round, her eyes wide, when the door creaked open. But she breathed a sigh of relief when she saw a four year old boy standing in the doorway. "Mummy, Grandpa says I have to go to bed. I want you to read me a story before you go back to school tomorrow. Do you really have to leave us with Grandpa again? He scares me." The boy whispered.

Hermione held out her free arm and the boy ran over and hugged her. "I know, Bennie, I know. But it won't be for long. I'll be home before you know it." She replied soothingly, stroking her son's also black hair.

They stood there for a while before the door opened again. Hermione gasped and tightened her hold on the children. She handed Nettle to Bennie. "Take care of your sister." She whispered.

"BENJAMIN! You should be in bed!" A middle aged man roared from the doorway.

Hermione glared at him. "Dad. He wanted me to read to him. He was just going." She told the man.

Frank Granger hissed and slapped her across the face. "Don't. Call. Me. DAD! I'm NOT you're father. We told you that from the beginning, you were ADOPTED!" He roared.

Hermione flinched and Frank began the usual punishment. Kicks and punches rained down on her. The only sounds in the room were the sickening sounds as Frank's fists met his 'daughter', Hermione's occasional yell of pain, Bennie's soft sobs and Nettle's whimpers as the two children watched their mother being beaten up. It was over as quickly as it all started and Hermione slipped into the pain free realm of unconsciousness.

Frank glared at the children cowering in the corner. "Benjamin, Get. To. Bed." He growled.

Terrified, Bennie placed Nettle back in her crib and ran from Hermione's bedroom, briefly glancing back at the bloody mass that was his injured mother.

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Hermione felt someone stroking her hair and could faintly hear Nettle's soft whimpers. She blinked open her eyes, wincing at the sudden brightness.

"Mione, oh my darling. You're awake." Abigail Granger gushed as soon as she saw her adopted daughter's eyes open. "You need to get up Honey. He didn't break any bones last night; you're just a bit battered. You should be able to cover it up." She added, looking at her daughter's face. It wasn't too badly bruised, but the rest of her body was black and blue.

"Mummy? Mummy, are you awake yet?" Asked a soft voice from her door.

"Benjamin? Are you okay?" Hermione called, worry for her young son building.

The door creaked open and the small boy walked in. There was a small bruise on his cheek, nothing major. "Bennie, when did he hit you?" She asked softly, pulling her boy into a hug.

"When I got back to my room. He said it was because I disobeyed him and it was a warning." Bennie sniffed, burying his face in his mother's jumper from the night before.

Hermione tightened her hold on her son and kissed his brown hair. Frank, the children's biological father and adopted grandfather, had brown hair, as did she.

But Hermione didn't mind. It stopped any awkward questions as many assumed the children were her siblings.

"Darling, go get ready. We leave in two hours, after Frank has eaten." Abigail told Hermione, taking Nettle and Bennie out of the room and downstairs with her, leaving Hermione alone again.

Hermione dragged her trunk down the stairs into the kitchen where her adopted parents and her children sat.

The bruises on her face were now hidden by makeup and the bruises on her arms and legs were hidden by the long sleeved top and jeans she wore. Her long brown curls hung down her back, coming to rest below her shoulder blades.

Frank eyed her before nodding in acceptance. It was enough so that no one would know. Because if someone found out, Hermione had no doubt Frank would try and kill them. Hermione glanced at her son and bite her bottom lip. "Dad?" She began attentively. She didn't know what mood he was in and, if he was in the wrong one, he would beat her because she called him that.

She was lucky and he let it slide. "I'm going to take Bennie upstairs and put makeup on his bruise to hide it." Frank only answered with a curt nod. Hermione picked up her son, balancing him on her hip in such away he wasn't touching any bruises, and walked out of the room, heading to her en-suite.

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"There. All done." Hermione grinned.

Bennie touched the place where his bruise was now hidden. "Thanks Mummy. But I don't like wearing make up." He said, pulling a face.

Hermione laughed and kissed the top of his head. "I know sweetheart. But when you get home you can get Grandma to take it off."

The boy hugged her tightly. "Don't go!"

Hermione hugged him back. "I have to baby. I'll be home soon. Be brave." She replied.

The car ride was quiet, no one saying anything. Hermione had hugged and kissed her children as much as she could without angering Frank before she had to get out of the car.

Now, the family was walking through the barrier onto the platform. Hermione's trunk vanished through the barrier, causing Nettle to giggle in delight and Bennie to look around for it. Even though he had seen this many times, it still intrigued him.

Hermione pulled him in for a hug, kissing his cheek. When she let go, she gently took Nettle from Abigail and hugged the infant tightly, placing a kiss on Nettle's soft dark curls.

"Be good." She whispered to Bennie. She handed Nettle back to Abigail and hugged her adoptive mother tightly.

"Be safe, please stay safe." She whispered, giving Abigail a squeeze, careful of the many bruises that littered both their skins, underneath their clothes.

"I will." Abigail promised, releasing her daughter.

Hermione then turned to Frank. To keep up appearances, she hugged him. He hugged her too tightly, on purpose, and her bruises stung, giving her arm what most would assume was a friendly squeeze.

"If you tell anyone that can take you away, I'll kill the children and your mother." He hissed, before kissing her cheek for appearances.

Tears sprung into her eyes and she nodded before drawing back quickly.

The train let out a whistle and Hermione walked over to it, waving quickly to her family. She boarded the train and sighed happily, feeling the familiar jolt of it starting to move. She was finally free for a while. She was home.

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The four friends, Harry, Ginny, Ron and Hermione, were sat in their usual compartment.

Ginny was perched on Harry's lap and Ron and Hermione sat opposite. Ginny and Harry had begun dating over the summer and now one was rarely seen without the other.

Hermione grinned at the two, but it never reached her eyes. She felt lonely. Everyone had someone. Ginny had Harry, and vice versa, Ron had Luna, hell, even MALFOY had someone, even if it was the Slytherin slut Pansy Parkinson.

But she was alone.

Well, not alone as such. She had Nettle and Bennie, but on the romance front, she had no one. Then again, after Frank, she couldn't imagine anyone kissing her or touching her. She rested her head on the window and began to think, using the alibi of being asleep. 'I wonder if Bennie and Nettle are okay. I miss them. I hope Dad won't hurt them, I hope Bennie doesn't give him reason to. I hope Mum will be safe. Please, keep her safe. Don't let Dad throw Nettle out the window again. Please let her be quiet.' She prayed silently, tuning out to her surroundings.'

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Finally, the four friends were seated at the Gryffindor table and were digging into the wonderful food that had appeared after the Sorting. Hermione listened to everyone's tales of the adventures they had endured during the holidays; some were of mourning loved ones lost in the war that had gotten worse last year.

Harry had found Voldemort's Horcruxes and was waiting for the time to kill him. When he killed him, Hermione vowed to be by his side, to help him.

Harry then turned to Hermione after he had told the tale of his summer. "So, what has our brilliant Bookwork been doing this summer?" He asked, a playful edge to his voice.

'Raising her children, taking their beatings for them, being beaten, being raped. My usual summer.' She thought bitterly.

"Oh, nothing. Just studying." She commented.

"Hey, was that your brother and sister I saw on the platform?" Dean asked.

Hermione sighed, a faint smile on her face. "Yeah. Bennie and Nettle."

Ginny and the boys frowned. She had never mentioned Bennie and Nettle before.

They didn't have time to question her as Dumbledore stood. "Now, after that lovely meal, I'm sure you're all tired. First Years follow your prefects and the rest of you will be told the password by your portraits. Our Head Boy for this year is Draco Malfoy and our Head Girl is Hermione Granger. I wish to see them after please. But for now, Good night." Dumbledore announced.

The students began to leave the hall, a few people congratulating the two new Heads.

Draco walked up to Dumbledore and watched as Potter clapped Granger gently on the back to congratulate her.

She winced, but he didn't seem to notice.

But Draco did.

It was the same wince his mother used to do when someone touched a painful spot on her after she was… well… he didn't want to dwell on it. Draco shook his head.

'She probably had an accident, it's nothing. Granger's life is picture perfect.' He told himself, sneering as said girl walked over.

Dumbledore told them their duties and led the duo to a portrait of a beautiful woman sat on a white stallion with a wolf sat next to it.

"This is Bianca Zabini, a distant ancestor of Mr. Zabini, she will guard your quarters. The password is Shadows." Dumbledore told them, casting a tiny, barely noticeable wink at Granger whose mouth raised in a weak smile.

Draco noticed and rolled his eyes. 'She was always his favourite.' He thought bitterly.

Hermione entered the room and shot past into her bedroom, deciding to take a shower and apply the glamour in the morning.

"What's the matter, Granger? Don't want to be in the same room as me?" Malfoy sneered, but she ignored him and shut her door.

She sunk onto the bed and was asleep in seconds.


	2. Chapter 2

**The Shadows**

Hermione woke abruptly at seven o'clock the next morning. It was usual to her as when she was at school she woke at seven, and at home _He_ woke at seven.

She stretched and dragged herself out of the warmth of her bed. She gasped in pain as she bumped a bruise on her leg into the desk. With that, her mind replayed the memory of getting it.

"_Hermione, get out of the way." Frank hissed, glaring at the child behind his adopted daughter._

_Hermione wrapped her arms round her son. "He didn't mean to, he tripped." She pleaded._

"_That was the best table cloth we have and__**he**__dropped his bowl of pasta on it, do you know how hard that stain is to clean? DO YOU!" Frank roared._

_Hermione shook her head. Like you know ow hard it is, she thought, you don't clean it off. "Leave him be, hit me instead." She begged desperately._

_Frank smirked and punched her in the gut. He kicked her leg in one place several times before dragging her by her hair over to the table and banging her head against it. Stars span in front of her eyes and she let out a small moan. "Clean it, clean it well or there will be hell to pay." He snarled, giving her one last punch to the shoulder. She slumped to the ground as he let go._

_He turned on his heel and left the room, leaving a sobbing Hermione kneeling on the floor._

She let out a sigh and wandered to the shared bathroom across the hall from the two bedrooms. She stripped off and looked at herself in the mirror.

Her body wasn't too bad physique wise, but in injury terms, it was awful. Black and blue bruises and barely healed over cuts littered her creamy skin and she noted she had a black eye. She quickly glamoured herself. As the spell was applied she could have sworn she heard the bathroom door click shut.

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Draco stretched and sauntered out of bed, dressed only in his pajama bottoms, to the bathroom. He opened the door and froze.

Hermione Granger was standing naked at the bathroom counter looking into the mirror.

It wasn't just the fact she was naked that stopped him, but the fact her skin was covered in bruises and even a few cuts. He watched as she gingerly touched her black eye.

She picked up her wand and aimed it at herself. He watched as her bruises melted away into nothingness, leaving no trace of her injuries. Draco, suddenly realizing he was still in the doorway while his nemesis was naked, slipped out of the room, shutting the door as quietly as he could with a soft click.

Hermione exited the bathroom several minutes later dressed in the usual school uniform. Draco noticed she seemed normal, but he never missed the routine subtle wince as her bag hit a bruise on her hip.

He watched as she cast a quick spell that relieved the pain for several hours. It was one his mother had used a lot. He followed her down the stairs and out of the common room.

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Hermione laughed at a joke Harry had told her, her laughter not meeting her eyes.

"So, what have we got first?" She asked.

Harry and Ron's good mood vanished at once.

"Potions. Why is that every year we have Potions with the Slytherins? Couldn't we have it with Hufflepuff, just once? I'd do anything for Ravenclaw, or Hufflepuff. I'm not picky." Ron pleaded, looking up as if something from above would reply.

Hermione chuckled. "I know. But it's our last year. Put up with it then you'll never have to see them again." She soothed.

Ron looked at her with big blue eyes. "Promise?" He asked, almost like a child.

"Promise." Hermione smiled.

He breathed a sigh of relief and Harry clapped him on the back.

"Yeah. Or you might get stuck with, say, Malfoy as your boss." He teased.

Ron's eyes went wide and he sat up quickly. "DON'T SAY THAT, HARRY!" He whined, clutching his heart. This time Hermione's laughter was genuine as she laughed with the boys, her boys.

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Draco followed Hermione to her last class of the day, Transfiguration, and slipped in. He paused when he saw her stop outside the classroom. A Ravenclaw called Haley Andrews was saying goodbye to her friend, a Slytherin called Kerry Mathews outside and Hermione walked over to them.

"Hey. You two still on for tonight?" She asked in a lowered voice. Kerry nodded.

"Sure. Same place at the same time?" Haley asked.

"You got it." Hermione replied.

"I've got to go to Divination before Matt worries. I'll pass the message on." Haley explained, running off towards the Divination tower, and waving to the two girls.

"You'd better go in. I can't be seen with you, you being Muggleborn and all." Kerry sighed, touching Hermione's cheek, softly.

Hermione nodded. "I know. Speak later." She smiled, hugging Kerry before entering the classroom. Draco's eyes narrowed and he watched Kerry wait a beat before she followed.

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Dinner passed and Draco was now lounging in his room. His door was open a crack and he was idly scanning a book for information for his potions essay.

A black figure went past his door and, curious, Draco went to have a look. He frowned as he saw Hermione, dressed in a black jumper and pants with black school shoes on, walking into the common room and out of the portrait. Now very intrigued, Draco followed her.

He followed the Gryffindor Head Girl down the corridors and up the many staircases, narrowly avoiding being found out, until she finally came to a halt in a random hallway.

Draco vaguely recognized the corridor, but pushed it to one side deciding to puzzle over it later.

"Mione!" Draco shrank back into the shadows and watched as Kerry, her twin Lewis, also Slytherin, and another Slytherin called Tom Henderson greeted her. They too were dressed in black.

"Let's go." Hermione smiled, hugging each person in turn.

"Wait up!" Haley called, jogging over holding a handsome brunette's hand.

"Yeah." The boy, Matt Overton, grinned. Draco noticed that they were also in black. Just what in the world was going on?

Hermione paced back and forth in front of the wall. Draco watched, confused and now more curious than ever. A door appeared and the vague memory from earlier clicked into place.

The Room of Requirements.

Kerry opened the door and the six people slipped inside. Draco moved closer and managed to catch sight of the inside. As the door shut he heard another girl, a girl recognized as Charlotte Hardwood, shout. "FINALLY! I've been here _ages_."

Draco paced, thinking of the place he had just seen, and a door appeared. Deciding to find out what was going on, Draco opened it and stepped into the room.

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"FINALLY! I've been here _ages_." Charlotte exclaimed as the friends entered.

"Calm down Lottie. We're here aren't we?" Matt grinned. Lottie huffed and sunk into her chair.

Hermione sat down beside her. "You see the boys?" She asked.

Lottie, a fellow Gryffindor, grinned. "Skiving homework as usual. Playing chess I think." She replied.

Hermione scowled. But before she could reply, the door swung open and in strolled Draco Malfoy.

At once, the group were on their feet, wands drawn and pointed at the intruder. "What are you doing here?" Hermione yelled.


	3. Chapter 3

**Initiation**

"What's going on? Why are you all in black?" Draco asked his grey eyes narrowed at them all.

Hermione's own eyes were spitting fire. "Get. Out." She snarled.

"Why? I want to know what the hell is going on here." Draco argued, his eyes returning the fire.

Haley looked at him and then back at her friends.

"We need to talk." She said.

A door appeared in the far wall of the room, which had taken on the appearance of a cozy cottage with a kitchen, roaring fire and three comfortable sofas and 2 chairs.

The seven walked into the room, shutting the door behind them. Draco sighed and flopped onto one of the sofas.

"That went well." He muttered.

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"What do we do?" Lottie asked.

"I think we should tell him and swear him in. His dad's pretty rough." Tom stated.

"No." Hermione snapped.

"Why? He gets treated rough and we are here for those who suffer like we do." Lewis argued.

Hermione scowled.

"I don't trust him. I don't want him to know." Kerry groaned.

"Mione. He deserves a second chance. Plus, he can't tell if we have the dirt on him and if there is a large group of us that could kick his ass. Slytherins are all for self-preservation and it isn't in his best interests to spill." She explained.

"Let's vote." Matt offered. Agreement went through the group.

"All for?" Haley called. Six hands went up.

"Against?" Haley asked. Hermione just side, burying her head in her hands.

"Sorry Hermione, but the majority rules." Haley smiled.

Hermione's eyes sparkled with tears and the mood instantly changed. "Oh Hermione, I didn't mean to make you feel out of control!" Haley gasped, wrapping her hands around Hermione.

"What if he tells Harry or Ron? What if he lets something slip?" choked Hermione. Kerry stroked her back gently.

"What about we trust him?" she asked, softly, "don't we all deserve a second chance?" Hermione dashed her eyes angrily.

"Fine… I guess I can always obliviate him." She sniffed.

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Draco looked up as the group came back into the room. Lottie took one of the armchairs, Hermione took the end of the sofa closest to her, Tom took the other end, Kerry and Lewis took another sofa and Haley and Matt took the last sofa.

"Welcome, Draco Malfoy, to the Shadows." Kerry greeted.

"We are a group of kids who get abused and we come here to be with friends and talk." Lewis finished. "There is no need for glamours here." He added, his sharp eyes looking pointedly at Hermione and Tom.

Hermione and Tom shared a look and removed their glamours and were shocked to see Lottie remove one too. Hermione's bruise on her face was now a yellowish colour and her black eye was healing nicely. The bump on her forehead was nicely concealed by her hair and barely visible.

Tom had a few more on his face than her. He had two black eyes, two bruised cheeks and four dotted around his face. Lottie also had a black eye and a bruised cheek.

Draco gasped in horror. "Damn." He breathed.

"So Malfoy, what's your story? You tell us yours and we tell you ours." Lottie asked.

Draco sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "It's nothing like you guys. Father is really old fashioned, I guess. He hurts Mother. A lot. Sometimes I interfere and he'll crucio me but he never physically beats me. It's… it's just painful watching him hurt Mother and not being able to do anything about it. He did go absolutely insane once, though, when I refused to be a Death Eater. That's the only time he physically hurt me as well as magically." The others nodded and Hermione was a little shocked to hear he didn't want to be a Death Eater.

"My turn. Okay, my Dad's got a drinking problem. It started when my Mum died of cancer when I was ten. He became a violent drunk and he beats me up when he gets drunk. I manage to protect my little sister, but I hate to think what he does when I'm not there." Lottie explained, running a hand through her long blonde hair, her blue eyes worried.

"Same." Matt sighed. "My Dad's a drunk too. But my mum's alive still. He just got into drinking a while ago. He's been hitting Mum and me all my life. Done some real damage. Usually it's my Mum who gets the brunt of it; he's scared I'll fight back one day." He told them all, his hazel eyes clouding with memories.

"We only get it when Father feels like we need to learn our place, so at the start of the holidays and maybe a couple of times through it. Father doesn't want us to get too badly mucked up because he hosts dinners and that with the Minister. It's to remind us to be good. If we get out of line or something, then he'll hit us though." Lewis explained, looking Draco right in the eye as he spoke.

"Went pretty easy on us this year. Had a ball the next day so he wanted us in good condition, but it got the message across." Kerry added.

"I'm really not hit like that." Haley began. "Only if I try to stop my mother's beatings."

"You see, Dad's a control freak. He likes everything to be in order, but Mum's a Muggle and not everything's perfect because she can't use magic to make it right. If she breaks something, she can't fix it with a spell. So Dad gets angry with her and he hits her. If I step in, then I get hit as well. He also hits me in front of mum to punish her." Haley concluded with a shrug.

Tom sighed heavily. "My Dad's dead. It's my Mum's boyfriend. He's got an obsession with hitting us. He gets angry over the slightest thing that we do wrong and he hits us for it. My owl arrived at ten at night and went to the wrong window. Mum's Boyfriend was furious. I got hit for it." He told them. "Mum's in too deep to get out now. He won't let her go, threatens to kill us if we leave him."

Kerry sniffed and gently hugged Tom. "It'll be okay." She soothed. "I hate listening to yours and Hermione's stories." She added, shuddering.

Draco frowned. "You'll see." Kerry told him, sending a sad look at Hermione.

Hermione sighed. She turned to Draco.

"I'm sorry. No-one deserves to be treated like we do." She told him.

Draco nodded in acknowledgement. "So what's your story?"

Hermione shut her eyes in grief and let out a choked sob. Her friends drew her into a hug.

"Do you want me to tell?" Tom asked.

Hermione nodded weakly.

"Hermione's got it like I do, in a way. She says living with her Dad is like walking on egg shells. She's adopted and when her dad's in a certain mood, he hates her calling him 'Dad'. Then she gets hit for calling him that. She also can't do Magic or send any letters to her friends. He beats her over the smallest errors and also beats her adopted mother. He also rapes her. Started when she was twelve."

Kerry picked up where Tom left off. "Thanks to him, she has a four year old son and a two year old daughter, Bennie and Nettle. She takes their beatings if they do things wrong, if Crookshanks does something wrong she gets beaten, if he's drunk, if she protects her kids and if she does something wrong, even by accident, She's hit or kicked or raped. It's hell." Tom explained, stroking his friend's back as she sobbed.

Draco looked at her with a dropped jaw. After a few more sobs, the distraught girl sat up and wiped her eyes.

"Now you know." She whispered her eyes full of pain.

"Hey, Mione, how's the tykes now?" Matt asked.

Hermione's eyes immediately softened and she pulled out a shrunken photo album, resizing it.

"I thought you might ask." She said with a wobbly smile. "I managed to sneak this from home." She handed it to Kerry and it went round the group, the other cooing over it, finally reaching Draco.

Draco flicked through, staring at the children. One of the photos was of Hermione, with a long sleeved top on, holding a little girl with soft black curls on her hip and hugging a small boy of four, also with black hair.

Another was of the same boy, holding the little girl. Another was of the children and a brown haired woman, who Draco assumed was Hermione's adopted mother, in a park. They all looked happy. Draco closed it and handed the book onto Haley.

"Oh my gosh, they've grown so much!" She gushed.

Draco frowned and looked at her with an eyebrow raised.

"What? We were with Hermione through the pregnancy and I held Nettle first." Haley added, seeing his face.

"You came to school pregnant? And no-one noticed?" Draco snorted disbelievingly.

"Of course. It's amazing what a simple glamour can hide." Hermione replied, smiling fondly as she gazed upon the pictures of her children again.

Finally, the time came for the Shadows to head to bed and get some rest before school the next morning. Hermione hugged all her friends before starting to walk back with Draco.

"Look, Granger, I'm sorry about all the teasing. If I'd known." The blond boy sighed.

Hermione smiled sadly at him.

"It's fine. You couldn't have known. It's more to the fact that you did tease that hurt. Besides, it's nothing compared to what _he_ does or says. Hogwarts is my sanctuary. All of ours." She told him, running her hand over the smooth stone walls as she spoke.

Draco nodded. "I know." He agreed.

Hermione sighed. "As soon as I'm old enough, Mum and I are leaving. I won't have Bennie and Nettle growing up in that environment. No telling what it could do to them."

Draco shot her a lopsided smile.

"You didn't turn out so bad." Hermione blushed and smiled back.

"Thank you, Malfoy. You're not so bad yourself."


	4. Chapter 4

**The Letter**

A month passed without much change. The only difference was the fact that Draco never teased Hermione, but still teased the boys, and she kept her boys in check. But all this calm and peace was about to come to a shocking end.

Hermione walked down the corridor in the middle of Harry and Ron, Ginny walking beside Harry with her arm looped through his.

"Then Ron woke up crying 'Spiders, they want me to tap dance. I don't want to tap dance." Harry recounted, sending a wicked grin to his friend whose ears were slowly turning red.

Hermione and Ginny giggled and Hermione ruffled Ron's hair.

"Don't worry Ron. You don't have to tap dance for the Spiders today." She teased.

Ron huffed and scowled. Hermione shook her head in mirth.

"Miss Hermione!" Hermione turned to see a small second year girl running over to her.

"Yes?" She asked.

The girl shyly handed her a letter before dashing off. Hermione opened the letter.

Clearly written were the words: _Come to the Headmaster's office. The password is Toffee Unicorns._

"Why are you being called?" Harry asked.

Hermione shrugged. "I don't know. I guess I'll find out." She replied, walking off towards Dumbledore's office.

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Hermione knocked on the door politely and the kindly voice of the headmaster told her to enter.

She pushed open the door and took the offered seat opposite him. "Yes sir?" She asked.

Dumbledore smiled kindly at her, it not reaching his eyes. "Lemon Drop?" He asked.

Hermione shook her head and he sighed, leaning back in his chair with a grave face. "Miss Granger, I have just received a letter from the Ministry." He began.

Hermione felt panic grip her. "I think you should read it yourself." Dumbledore added, handing a piece of parchment with the broken ministry seal on it to her.

Hermione shakily began to read it.

_Headmaster Albus Dumbledore,_

_It is my deepest regret to inform you that Miss Hermione Granger's legal guardian Abigail Granger was murdered at three o'clock this morning. She was murdered by her husband, Hermione Granger's other legal guardian, Frank Granger. Signs of abuse were clear on her body. The two children we found there, whom our records say are biologically Miss Granger's, are safe._

_At 3am this morning, the Muggle police were summoned after hearing a gun, a weapon that they use, shot. Mrs. Granger was dead already. Mr. Granger had attempted to harm the young girl, when the boy stepped in. He broke the boy's arm and the baby suffered severe concussion. But they have been healed now._

_Mr. Granger, unfortunately, escaped the police and our men. We believe him to be deeply medically unstable. _

_The issue is that the two children now have no place to stay, so we request that they go to Hogwarts to be with their mother. Miss Granger's living arrangements during the holidays will be sorted out at a later date. _

_My Sincerest Apologies_

_Renee James_

_Family Safety Department._

The letter fell from Hermione's numb fingers as shock slowly consumed her body. "Mum's dead?" She whispered.

"I'm so sorry. We'll move your children to Hogwarts this weekend. You may have the day off classes with your friends. I think it's time you told them." Dumbledore said, his eyes looking over the girl with deep sympathy. Hermione nodded numbly, thanked him and stumbled out of his office as her thoughts ran through her head.

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Hermione walked through the halls in a daze, horror and grief overwhelming her.

She couldn't believe her mother was dead. It was all too surreal, like a nightmare from which she could never wake.

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Draco lounged on the wall outside the Charms classroom. He was supposed to have Charms with the Gryffindors, but wasn't feeling up to it after getting a letter from his father, who was in Azkaban after being caught, saying how he had hoped he would change his mind about the Dark Mark.

With a sigh, he turned to go and noticed Hermione was wandering towards him with a lost look on her face, her eyes teary and vacant. "Granger!" He gasped.

Hermione felt a pair of hands touch her and she jumped, cringing away in fear. "Granger, relax, it's me."

Hermione blinked to see the familiar fair hair of the Slytherin Head Boy who was newly in the Shadows. "What's wrong?" Draco asked, his stormy eyes concerned.

Ever since the meeting, Draco had been secretly keeping watch over her like a hawk.

Hermione let out a sob and fell to her knees.

"He killed her." She whispered.

"Who?" Draco asked.

"My Dad. He killed my mum, shot her."

Draco gasped and gently wrapped his arms around the grieving girl, sensing that she needed comfort at the moment.

They sat in the hallway for a couple of minutes, Draco trying to calm Hermione. They were interrupted by a rather loud, extremely angry and protective shout.

"MALFOY! Get away from her."

The two turned to see Harry, Ron and Ginny hurrying towards them.

"Get off her, you Slytherin." Ron snarled.

Draco stood, pulling out his wand, as Ron did the same. As the two testosterone filled teenage boys threatened each other, Harry and Ginny ignored them and rushed to Hermione's side.

Harry gently lifted the girl into his arms and Hermione clung to his neck, sobbing into his neck, overcome with grief. Ginny and Ron shot Draco scathing looks and Harry carried Hermione to the Room of Requirement, knowing how much she loved it, as Rona and Ginny tagged along.

"Take care of her!" Draco yelled after them.


	5. Chapter 5

_**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter and I do not own the plot of this fanfic. It is an old one by an author going by the name of MysteryM who hasn't logged in for over a year. With such a fantastic unfinished plot, I decided to finish it, making a few changes along the way. I just wanted to clarify this again.  
**_

_**If anyone wants to read the original work follow this link: .net/s/6372778/1/Shadows_on_the_Wall. **_

**Explanations**

The four walked into the Room of Requirement, (well three walked, seeing as Hermione was in Harry's arms) which had turned into the only place Hermione felt truly at home.

The Gryffindor Common Room.

Harry gently laid Hermione onto the sofa, the girl limp and frozen in shock and grief. Ginny immediately pressed a warm cup of Hot Chocolate into her hands and helped her sip.

Over the top of her head, the boys shared a worried look. They had never seen Hermione like this. Whatever it was, it had to be bad.

Hermione suddenly grew more aware of her surroundings as a warm, sweet liquid flowed down her throat.

"Ginny?" She whispered, her voice hoarse.

The youngest Weasley smiled.

"Right here 'Mione."

Hermione gently pulled herself so she was sitting and both boys instantly filled the remainder of the sofa, pulling her into a group hug. Hermione felt tears slide down her cheeks. It was time to tell her story.

"Hermione, what is it?" Harry asked, gently wiping away a tear.

"You have to promise not to get mad." Hermione replied, leaning heavily on him, her voice raspy from the crying. The three friends frowned. "Promise me!" Hermione pleaded.

"Of course, Mione. Anything for you." Ginny soothed, holding her friend's hand.

Hermione sighed and nodded. "Okay, just remember you promised." She told them.

"Okay." Hermione took a deep, deep breath. "Well my… my dad killed my mum." Hermione's eyes filled with tears as she said that and she let out a small, choked sob. "But that's not only it. I… I should tell you the full truth. I'm adopted and… and my Dad abuses our family." Hermione took in a deep, shaking breath, letting the tears roll freely down her cheeks.

"It started before I was adopted, when my mum first married him. He began to hit her, angry that she wasn't getting pregnant. They finally had a little girl, name Kayla. Then, when she was three, they adopted me. I was 6 months old." Hermione took another deep breath, looking at her hands and avoiding Harry, Ron and Ginny's stares. "He continued hitting mum, when he was angry, depressed or drunk. He seemed to enjoy it. Then when I was four, he started on me. Kayla was seven. He started hitting her too." Hermione then let out a volley of sobs before she could continue. Harry, Ron and Ginny seemed to realize that staying quiet was best. "When I was 8 and Kayla was 11, Dad beat her up really bad and threw her down the stairs. She didn't move and her head was cracked open." Hermione wailed at this point, in true misery. "We took her to the hospital, Dad telling us not to say anything, except she fell."

"Kayla died a week later from a brain bleed, caused by the beating and the fall. Dad got worse then. When I was twelve he….he." Hermione's voice broke and buried her head in her hands.

She muttered something that only Ginny heard. Ginny gasped in horror and hugged her.

"What'd she say?" Ron asked.

"He stole her innocence." Ginny replied, phrasing it in as a delicate way as she could.

Ron and Harry paled rapidly and Ron began to shake in anger, while Harry just hugged Hermione.

"He continued to do it, every holiday, nearly every night. I've got children, thanks to him." Hermione whispered. Harry's eyes lit up with realization.

"The kids that Dean mentioned, that you said were your siblings, are actually your kids. Ben and Hettie, isn't it?" He asked.

Hermione nodded then shook her head.

"Yes they're mine," she whimpered, "but their names are Nettle and Bennie." She took in a deep, calming breath. "They're coming to Hogwarts. This weekend." She added.

The three stared. "Okay, why?" Ron asked.

Hermione sent a him a truly whithering glare. "I already said. He murdered my mother! I have no family, except my children and him." She spat.

Ron began to shake even more in anger.

"I'll kill him!" He suddenly roared.

Hermione paled and her brown eyes became worried.

"No, he'll kill you. He uses a gun, a deadly Muggle weapon! Please. And you won't find him." She added.

The friends looked concerned. "Why?" Harry asked.

"He's gone. Not even the Aurors can find him. They think he's gone mad." Hermione wept, burying her head into Harry's arm again. The three exchanged a look. Hermione had had a very hard life.

The door suddenly swung open and seven people, including Malfoy, flooding in.

"I told you they were here!" Lottie yelled, heading over to Hermione at once.

"Mione? Draco said you were upset. What happened?" Kerry asked in a soft voice, kneeling down in front of the girl.

"He killed her." Hermione said softly.

"Who did?" Lewis asked, as he knelt down beside his twin.

"My Dad. He killed my Mum." The Shadow members gasped and all tried to hug her, except Draco.

Harry, Ron and Ginny were pushed out of the way, anger filling them. "Who the hell are you?" Ron roared. Haley turned to him.

"We're her friends. We've known about her home life since First Year. We held her children first. She came to Hogwarts pregnant and we helped her. We are the Shadows. A group of kids with a home life like Hermione's." She replied.

The three went quiet as they stared at the large group. "Mione was friends with Malfoy? For seven years?" Ron gaped.

Hermione shook her head. "He's a new member. Joined a month ago." She answered as Matt kissed her temple.

The Shadows were her other family.

"Wait, back up. You came to school pregnant? Twice?" Ginny suddenly said.

Hermione smiled weakly. "Yes. I couldn't get rid of them. They were so precious. My lifeline." She whispered, her sad eyes locking with her friend's.

"My sweet babies."


End file.
